Please join us for the monthly program via Microsoft Teams (link and call-in information provided. below). On the date of the scheduled meeting, networking begins at 6:30 PM and the featured program will start promptly at 7:00 PM.
SPECIAL NOTICE: annual officer elections will be held during the October virtual/online meeting from 6:45pm to 7pm. Separate communication will follow regarding the slate of officer nominations for the 2025/2026 season.
OCTOBER PROGRAM INFORMATION
Bill Sims Jr. will be presenting our program content for October 2025, and below is some background information on both the topic and speaker.
About our program topic:
What Makes A Great Leader GREAT? The Alcoa Story
In the 1980s, Alcoa was spiraling downward—profits couldn’t cover debt, market share was shrinking, and for a century, the company had promoted CEOs from within. That changed when Alcoa hired Paul O’Neill, an outsider with no background in aluminum production.
When O’Neill faced 250 Wall Street analysts for the first time, they expected a turnaround plan. Instead, he declared: “I’m going to focus on worker safety.” The room gasped. Analysts rushed to downgrade Alcoa stock, branding him naïve.
But O’Neill proved them wrong. By prioritizing safety, he unleashed a cultural transformation that propelled Alcoa from $40 billion to $280 billion in value. His leadership philosophy later led to his appointment as U.S. Treasury Secretary.
In this session, discover how O’Neill’s bold approach redefined leadership, and learn the simple but powerful principles that can help you create extraordinary results in your own organization.
About our speaker:
Bill Sims Jr.
I'm Bill Sims, an experienced keynote speaker with a passion for positive safety culture and servant leadership. My mission is to provide your attendees with thought-provoking insights, actionable strategies, and a dose of inspiration they’ll carry long after the event.
I've had the privilege of speaking at numerous prestigious conferences, captivating audiences from NASA to Disney with my dynamic storytelling and practical takeaways.
The Bill Sims Company (est. 1975)
William "Bill" Sims, Sr. started the Bill Sims Company, Inc. in 1975 to help companies protect their people and their livelihoods from accidents. Since then, he and his children have gone into the trenches with safety leaders and managers worldwide to find solutions that keep people safe, improve their bottom line, and increase their productivity.
Drawing on their extensive experience in quality and performance improvement for textile mills in the Southeast, Bill and his sons developed a patented performance improvement system called SmartCard®. Rooted in behavioral science research, SmartCard® uses positive reinforcement to drive and sustain employee performance. The system is as practical as it is effective, offering a proven approach to motivating teams and improving workplace outcomes.
2025/2026 Program Schedule
|
Date
|
Leader
|
Topic
|
|
14-OCT 2025
|
Bill Sims Jr.
|
What Makes A Great Leader GREAT? The Alcoa Story
|
|
10-NOV 2025
|
Robert Perkin
|
Root Cause Problem Solving
|
|
09-DEC 2025
|
Cathy Fisher
|
ISO 9001 pending updates
|
|
13-JAN 2026
|
Dr. John Surak
|
Ultra Processed Food: To eat or not to eat, that is the question
|
|
10-FEB 2026
|
Rich Timm
|
Things you Thought you knew about Quality
|
|
10-MAR 2026
|
Gary Cox
|
Presentation topic TBD
|
|
14-APR 2026
|
Adam Caldwell
|
Presentation topic TBD
|
|
12-MAY 2026
|
TBD
|
TBD - available for speakers/topics
|
|
09-JUN 2026
|
TBD
|
TBD - possible site tour?
|
2025 Palmetto Section 1111 Officers and contact information:
Chair Elect: NEW VOLUNTEER NEEDED
Treasurer: Javier Zarazua
Additional Section Committee Chair positions:
Nomination: Carolyn Tomlinson
Voice of the Customer: Teresa Dupuis
Member at Large: John Surak
Membership: Kristopher Hinz (interim)
Re-certification: Greg Carwile
With thanks for your continued membership and contributions to ASQ,